Teenage Rapper Lil Purk to Serve 20 Years in Prison for Atlantic Station Double Murder

Teenage Rapper Lil Purk, real name Antonio Jackson, has been jailed for 20 years in prison for a deadly shooting near Atlantic Station in November 2022.

Five of the six defendants, Lil Purk, Demetrius Hill, Toney Wilson, Deandre Forston, and DeRodney Russell, entered negotiated guilty pleas, their sentences ranging from 20 to 40 years. 

The rapper was sentenced to 20 years, with 10 years to be served in custody and 10 years on probation. However, other suspects were sentenced to 40 years in jail.

Hill faced a more severe sentence, having negotiated a guilty plea resulting in 40 years of imprisonment. Of this term, he is slated to spend 30 years in custody.

Wilson received a similar 40-year sentence but with a different distribution—20 years in custody and an equal period on probation.

Forston and Russell, like their co-defendants, entered negotiated guilty pleas and received matching sentences of 40 years. In their cases, 20 years are to be served in custody, followed by an additional 20 years on probation.

Two young boys, 12-year-old Zyion Charles, and 15-year-old Cameron Jackson were left dead, and four other individuals were injured.

Zyion’s mother, Deerica Charles, spoke emotionally before the Atlanta City Council Public Safety Committee, revealing her desperate attempts to divert her son from a dangerous path of criminal behavior.

Despite her pleas to law enforcement, citing her son was involved in car break-ins, a prevalent form of street crime in Atlanta, she received little assistance. 

Deerica said, “I tried, y’all. I called the police office almost 30 times in the last two years, and they told me they can’t do nothing. I said he’s out and breaking into these folks’ cars, can you please get him off the street.”

On the other hand, Cameron’s family remembered him as a teenager with a passion for science, animals, cooking, and dirt bike riding. He had also been practicing boxing since the age of nine. 

Cameron’s mother, Tiffany Smith said, “Cameron has been a boxer since 9-years-old, and he was heading for a professional boxing career. He trained five days a week with a pro boxing coach.”

Additionally, according to 11Alive News, the shootout occurred on the 17th Street Bridge originated from two groups initially escorted off the Atlantic Station property due to unruly behavior and curfew violations.

Atlanta Police later confirmed their belief that the shooting was gang-related. However, Zyion’s family denied his involvement in any gang activity.

Lil Purk apologized after being arrested

Lil Purk took to his Instagram Story to publicly apologize to his family, fans, and the younger generation who have looked up to him. 

Taking to his Instagram Story, he started by saying, “To all my family & fans, I would like to sincerely apologize to y’all and to all the younger generation looking up to me.”

Lil Purk apologized after being arrested. (Source: Instagram)

Additionally, he emphasized the complexity of his situation, urging it to serve as a lesson for the entire generation, highlighting the notion that appearances can be deceiving. 

He wrote, “Let my situation be a lesson learned for our whole generation; everything is not what it seems, and I maintain my innocence.” 

Asserting his innocence, Lil Purk also expressed love for Lil Hot and extended apologies to families affected by the circumstances, urging forgiveness.